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Friday, 24 July 2015

Christmas in July!

Stash Bee blocks for Slyvia Hive 3
I always thought Christmas should not even come up in conversation until Halloween is over.  That is until I decided to make some handmade gifts for a few special people for Christmas presents.

Making by hand always takes longer than you think!  Sylvia for Stash Bee Hive#3 picked a Christmas block for us all to make and get a head start on her holiday themed quilt.  These improv style Gnomes and trees were great fun and I got to use up a little bit of what's left of my favourite fabric used in my version of the Penny Sampler quilt top I made last year (still not quilted!  Hanging head in shame!)
Tutorial here if you want to make some Trees & Gnomes
When it comes to sewing I was told by a quilter friend a good rule of thumb was double the time you think it will take you to make something and maybe even triple it!  Getting a head start on holiday sewing doesn't seem so daft thinking about it that way and there is lots going on this month to give us that little push to get started!
Every month Fiona@ Celtic Thistle Stitches and Paula@Mud Pies and Pins organise a link up for Christmas makes and a tutorial is offered by a different blogger.  Last month I had the honour of guest hosting the Ho Ho Ho and On We Sew holiday link up and this month there are 2 guest hosts offering free tutorials, Chelsea@ Patch the Giraffe is having a brilliant run at Christmas makes just finishing up a quilt and offering a tutorial for Christmas cushions and Martha @Weekend doings has a tutorial for an envelope bag, sized for an iPad.  If you are looking for inspiration check out the list of past tutorials here on Fiona's blog too.
 

I bought the most beautiful Christmas fabric from Fluffy Sheep Quilting at her pop up shop for the IPS Mid Western branch summer party, (Irish Patchwork Society have a different shop every month at meetings!).  I had to share a few photos in case you are on the look out for Christmas fabric!  I'm really loving this Festive Forest range especially the fox in the red stripey sweater.  I'm hoarding him for something special. No clue what - all suggestions welcome!

Last year, I bought the Folk Art Holiday range from Fluffy Sheep and used it with some Joy by Kate Spain to make this cushion for a swap.   I think I might be a bit obsessed with red and aqua with white as Christmas colours!

Lastly, have you seen on Instagram Patience Brewster  are giving away a beautiful Santa ornament?  This is worth having a look at.  At 24 inches tall, wouldn't it make a really lovely present for someone if you could bear to part with it.  I really like their animal range - they have the cutest hippo ornaments and even a Chihuahua dressed up in Christmas clothes! To enter, to win Santa, you need to follow @patiencebrewster and post a photo showing how you are getting ready for Christmas in July with the #pbchristmasinjuly. Closing date is the 31st July.

Happy weekend everybody!
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9 comments:

  1. Carie @ Space for the Butterflies24 July 2015 at 08:59

    Red and white and aqua are my Christmas colours too - they turn up in the children's stockings and our Christmas quilt and quite a few decorations too! And now I have serious hankerings for that fox fabric!!

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  2. Marly24 July 2015 at 09:25

    I like your Christmas block, and I looked back and downloaded your So Frosty pattern. It's lovely. You're a star including a cutting layout in the pattern; I wish everyone would! I shall be making it smaller, so the cutting plan's not going to help me so much now, but it's a really useful addition.

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  3. Anja @ Anja Quilts25 July 2015 at 02:51

    Your trees and pillow are awesome!!! Is the pillow pattern one of your creations? It's great.

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  4. Celtic Thistle25 July 2015 at 07:12

    The improv blocks are lovely what a great idea for a Bee block. I love that Christmas fabric too. I just ordered fabric from Fluffy Sheep but wish I had added that to the order now :)
    Thanks for the shout out too.

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  5. Cheryl25 July 2015 at 11:14

    Your trees are just too cute!

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  6. Sandra Walker25 July 2015 at 18:42

    I, too, love red and aqua for Christmas and would love to get a quilt in those colours together...in 5 months, egad, for the day...Oh yes, I do love that fox in his stripey sweater fabric too!! And those improv tree blocks make me want to make some....please stop tantalizing my ADHD quilt brain with these "oh look! squirrel!" temptations!

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  7. Tomomi McElwee25 July 2015 at 22:43

    Feel like everybody is talking about Christmas... No not me. Enjoy!

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  8. Lorna McMahon27 July 2015 at 01:54

    Those are some really sweet projects, Ruth. I have been thinking of Christmas lately, too, as I was using a winter themed text print for a background this week. Ho, ho, ho!

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  9. Granny Maud's Girl29 July 2015 at 01:00

    I usually avoid Christmas fabric, but I love your recent purchases. The improv gnome and tree blocks look like fun too.
    I wish I heeded your friend's advice about doubling or tripling the time I think it will take. I always underestimate.

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